As is well known and understood, outdoor illuminators for the illumination of the front gardens of family or row houses, entrances, backyards of the houses, promenades along recreation gardens, parks, swimming pools and public areas usually are located in close proximity, and are spiked into the ground to be powered from an underground electrical cable. As is also appreciated, such illuminators serve to hinder the necessary maintenance at these locations, as it is generally difficult to mow around the post incorporated as part of the illuminator. Thus, to properly maintain the area, the grass around the post is typically cut separately with a trimmer, instead of by the lawn-mower serving the rest of the area. As is also well known and understood, an obvious solution to this of merely removing the post is not satisfactory, because of the permanent installation with the underground cabling. Furthermore, where the outdoor illuminator is located in a public area, experience has shown that they tend to be subject to a greater amount of vandalism, or accidental damage by a passerby knocking into it, or tripping over it.
The teachings of various prior art patents are not generally helpful. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,827,389, for example, a portable lamp having a foldable post is described as being battery operated--its design and manner of installation, make it usable primarily only as a temporary light source. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,911,267 and 3,308,306 respectively describe the lifting and sinking of a lamp holder on a post so as to change the height and position of the light source to increase or decrease the intensity of the illumination cast--obviously, the disadvantages associated with their placements at outdoor locations continue, as they still become subject to vandalism or accidental damage--and they continue to be difficult to mow about.